Fangproof legging



Sept. 10, 1935. R. c. PARvlN FANGPROOF LEGGING Filed July 5, 1934 BY t l I hfll i ,A-T'AroRNEY.

Patented Sept. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

My present invention relates to a legging.

I'he principal object of the invention is to provide a legging of a type which may be `worn by hunters or woodsmen and which will afford ade- 5.;quate protection against the fangs of snakes,

thorns, briars, or the like.

Another important object is the provision of a legging of the above type which will be cheap to manufacture, which will be comfortable to wear,

light in weight, yet efficient for the purpose for which it is designed.

To this end, the invention contemplates a legging which will extend preferably from the lower part of the instep to the crotch on the inside and to within a few inches of the beltline on the outside of the leg. rI'he legging may be held in place at the bottom by means of a strap extending under the wearers shoe, and at the top by a loop through which the belt of the wearer passes.

To render the legging fang-proof or punctureproof, I prefer to provide between an inner lining and an outside covering, a series of overlapping flexible metal guards, preferably of aluminum7 as this material lends the necessary flexibility and impenetrability, yet is light in weight. Each of the guard elements is deformed, in the direction of the leg circumference, into substantially a circle, the ends being slightly spaced apart. Each of the guards may be stitched either to the inner lining or the outer covering, so that one guard overlaps its neighbor.

The gap between the ends of the guards is filled by a separate metal strip also preferably of aluminum and articulated at the knee joint and this strip may be secured along one longitudinal edge thereof to the main body of the legging. A separable fastener, of Which the so-called"zipper type is eminently satisfactory, may be supplied to secure the legging in place on the wearer.

The invention further contemplates the novel details of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawing:

Fig. J. is a side view of a completed legging.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the legging.

Fig. 3 is a transverse view along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail of the articulated side strips and envelope.

Referring now with particularity to the embodiment illustrated, the legging may consist of an inner flexible lining I of cloth or the like and an outer flexible covering 2 of the same or different material. Between these two flexible members are located a series of overlapping metal guards 3 preferably of aluminum, although not limited thereto, and extending in the direction of the leg circumference, and termed in the claims as horizontally located. 5

These individual metal guards may be secured in place, as for instance, by stitching ll to the inner cloth lining I in shingle fashion, where it is not desired to have the stitches exposed on the outside. guards 3 may be similarly stitched at theirV opposite edges to the outer covering 2 rather than to the lining.

As shown in Hg. 3, each of these metal guards 3 is slightly less than a circle and this gap between their ends is covered by a separate vertical strip 5 of aluminum encased in a fabric envelope E and then secured along one longitudinal edge as by means of stitches 'I to the legging proper.

In order to permit the wearer to bend his knee Without restriction, the metal strip 5 may be made in several pieces 5a, 5b and 5c with articulated joints therebetween as at 8. It is preferable, of course, that these joints coincide with the knee joint and/ or ankle joint to prevent undue stiffness and discomfort to the wearer.

On the outside of the strip 5 is secured a separable fastener of the so-called Zipper type, onehalf of which is indicated at 9 and the complementary portion at I 0. These fasteners are usually attached to thin fabric strips II and I2, and strip Il, for instance, may be secured to the legging proper as by the stitches 1. The fabric strip I2 is preferably secured to the opposite edge of the legging as by the stitches I3. In this way, there is an overlapping of the metal guard members with no openings therebetween which affords adequate protection. The fastener elements 9 and I may then be used to completely close the legging over this metal strip I5 and secure the garment to the wearer. I-Ierns or flaps I6, formed from the edge of the outer covering 2 are adapted to cover the separable fastener and protect the same from injury while at the same time giving a finished appearance to the legging.

A strap I'I may be attached to each side of the bottom of the garment to pass beneath the wearers instep, and a strap I8 secured to the top of the garment and formed as a loop to receive the wearers belt.

Obviously the circumference of the legging varies at different points in order to have the legging conform closely to the shape of the wearers leg.

D116 to the .fact that the guard members are 55 If this is of no moment, then the metal l0 flexible in themselves, the wearer will experience no discomfort inthe use of the legging as the various parts slide upon each other as the legging is iiexed, without, however, opening up any gap, thus entirely protecting the leg and preventing penetration of the legging at any point.

By making the outer covering 2 of a heavy canvas, the relatively soft aluminum guards and the separable fastener parts are prevented from being damaged by brush, vines, saw-palmetto, or other sharp or abrasive objects.

I claim:

1. A puncture proof legging comprising an inner ilexible lining, an outer exible covering, a series of horizontally located overlapping metal guards secured to one of the exible members, each of the metal guards forming substantially a circle with spaced apart ends, and means to secure said ends against separation with a separateY metal strip covering the gap between the ends of said metal guards. r

2. A puncture proof legging comprising an Vinner flexible lining, an outer flexible covering, a

series of horizontally located overlapping metal guards secured to one of the exible members, each of the metal guards forming substantially a circle with spaced'apart ends, and means to secure said ends against separation with a separate metal strip covering the gap between the ends of said metal guards, the securing means lying outside said separate metal strip.

3. A puncture proof legging comprising an inner flexible lining, an outer flexible covering, a series of horizontally located overlapping metal guards secured to one of the flexible members, each of the metal guards forming substantially a circle with spaced apart ends, and means to 5 secure said ends against separation with a sepa- Vrate metal strip covering the gap between the ends of said metal guards, said strip being secured to the legging body along one of its longitudinal edges only. 4. A puncture proof legging comprising an inner ilexible lining, an outer exible covering, a series of horizontally located overlapping metal guards secured to one of the exible members, each of the metal guards forming substantially a circle with spaced apart ends, and means to secure said ends against separation with a separate metal strip covering the gap between the ends of said metal guards, in which the separate metal strip is articulated. 5. A puncture proof legging comprising an inner exible lining, an outer flexible covering, a series of horizontally located overlapping metal guards secured to one of the flexible members, each of the metal guards forming substantially a circle with spaced apart ends, and means to secure said ends against separation with a separate metal strip covering the gap between the ends of said metal guards, in which the separate Y metal strip is vertically arranged.

`ROBERT C. PAR/VIN. 

